Christmas

Twenty years ago today I spent my first Christmas away from home. I was 18, and was serving as an Infantryman with C Company, 3d Battalion, 502d Infantry, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, KY. Our block leave was suspended because we had Post Guard. We would get leave for New Years, but not Christmas. During the day’s Guard Mount I was chosen as the “Super Numerary” or something like that. It meant you didn’t have to pull a traditional 24-hour guard shift, and instead you went to the museum for about four hours and stood around in your dress greens and looked spiffy. Your job was to look like a 101st Soldier and help visitors, none of which ever needed any help. It was meant to be an award for at least looking squared away. What it really was is a way to get out of doing work.

I went to the museum on the 24th and pulled my shift. Not many came to the museum on Christmas Eve. We closed the place up and I went back to the barracks. I had only been at Campbell for three months, and most of that time had been spent in the field. I was a bit bummed about not being able to go home and see my friends who had just finished their first semester of college, and I wanted to get caught up with them. I also was a bit sad that I was going to miss our own family traditions that year. The Battalion was going to have a Christmas day service, so I figured I’d go. It was sparsely attended; maybe a total of 15 were there, and I hadn’t met anyone before, except for the Chaplain. The service was simple, nothing spectacular. Regular scripture followed by regular Christmas hymns. After the service as I was getting ready to leave, I was introduced to a Major and his family, and they asked me what I was going to do for the rest of the evening. I told them I was off to the barracks to do what soldiers do- watch TV, play video games, and buff floors.

The Army is family, and the Major proved it to me that day. They invited me over for dinner and opened their house to me. The Chaplain brought me over to their house in the nice section of post (they don’t put nice houses near Infantry barracks) and fed me like there was no tomorrow. They welcomed me like I was one of their own. I enjoyed it a lot, and it made me feel a little less far from home. I don’t recall his name, but I always remember that Major and his family at Christmas for what he did for an 18-year old kid who had never been away from home.

I am lucky in that the 20 years I have been associated with the Army, I have only spent one previous Christmas away from home. (Birthdays, Anniversaries, and other significant holidays—that’s a different story). This one will be spent with a different kind of family. I got pretty lucky with the team I was assigned to; we all get along, we all believe in what we are doing, and we all are here for the right reasons. Today (Christmas Eve) we had to go to a meeting at FOB Mahmudiya down the road, and tonight a couple of our interpreters, Adam, Moe, and Sam, cooked us dinner: Lamb Kabobs, fresh vegetables, Hummus, and flatbread. It was very good, and it’s the first fresh veggies we have been able to get for a while. It was a very nice gesture on behalf of the guys who enable us to interact with the IA. They aren’t Christian, but even they understand the meaning and importance of Christmas and holidays with family and friends.

Later, the fellas will be playing Rock Band on PS2 for the better part of the evening. Some will hit the gym, some will sleep, some will be observing the Iraqi interrogation of a recently nabbed bad guy. This is the local family this year, spending another night in Iraq. It’s not my traditional family, but if I was going to spend it away from them, I’d want to spend it with Soldiers.

It is somewhat ironic to discuss peace in a war zone, but that’s why I’m here, to bring peace to a country and ultimately prevent bad people from doing bad things to my home. To you and your family, I wish you peace and Merry Christmas. Not far from here about 2000 years ago, Christ was born. Sometimes it’s hard to keep that in perspective, but the message of Peace is what Christmas is about.

Hope you are well—Merry Christmas.
Ron